Removable vehicle body closure with dual use installation

ABSTRACT

A vehicle body has an opening in the rear deck thereof defined by a flange. A closure panel has a peripheral flange. The flange on the body and the flange on the contoured closure panel are symmetrical with respect to a transverse axis therethrough so that the closure panel may be installed on the body in one use position to close the body opening and provide a coupe style body and installed on the body in a second use position upon 180* rotation about the transverse axis to provide a station wagon style body. A compressible seal located between the flanges provides a weathertight joint.

United States Patent [1 1 Davis Dec. 25, 1973 i 1 REMOVABLE VEHICLE BODYCLOSURE WITH DUAL USE INSTALLATION Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: May 30, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.:.257,60l

[52] U.S. Cl. 296/137 B, 296/27 [51] int. Cl B60j 7/10 [58] Field ofSearch 296/99, 137 B, 27

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,924,030 8/1933 Elser296/99 3,378,298 4/1968 Wingen 296/99 Primary ExaminerRobert R. SongAttorney-W. E. Finken et a1.

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT A vehicle body has an opening in the rear deck thereofdefined by a flange. A closure panel has a peripheral flange. The flangeon the body and the flange on the contoured closure panel aresymmetrical with respect to a transverse axis therethrough so that theclosure panel may be installed on the body in one use position to closethe body opening and provide a coupe style body and installed on thebody in a second use position upon 180 rotation about the transverseaxis to provide a station wagon style body. A compressible seal locatedbetween the flanges provides a weathertight joint.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures REMOVABLE VEHICLE BODY CLOSURE WITH DUAL USEINSTALLATION This invention relates to a removable closure panel for avehicle body rear deck opening and more particularly to a removableclosure panel having a first use position providing a coupe style bodyand a second use position providing a station wagon style body.

It is known to provide a vehicle body having a pivoted roof structurefor a rear opening in the vehicle, which roof structure may beselectively lowered and raised to provide either a sedan or stationwagon body style.

It is also known to provide a cover for an opening in the rear deck of amotor vehicle, which cover includes walls having side and back windowsand which may be lowered and raised substantially vertical in a trackstructure to selectively provide a sedan or station wagon body style.

It is well known in automotive vehicles to provide a coupe style body.Such coupe style bodies have less luggage compartment volume thanstation wagon style bodies. This invention therefore provides a vehiclebody which may be converted between a coupe body style and a stationwagon body style.

The present invention provides a removable closure panel for a rear deckopening in a vehicle body which is manually removed from the body,rotated 180 about a transverse axis, and reinstalled to effect a changein body styles between coupe and station wagon.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an opening in therear deck of the vehicle body is defined by a continuous inwardly offsetflange extending from the vehicle roof, quarter panels, and the tillerpanel extending between the quarter panels at their rearward portions.The removable closure panel is preferably of fiber glass constructionincluding integral backlite and sidelites and has a continuousperipheral flange which mates with the flange on the body. Therespective flanges are symmetrical about a transverse axis through thecenter of the deck opening. The closure panel is contoured to provide acoupe style body when installed in one use position in closure of theopening. The closure panel may be removed and manually rotated 180 abouta transverse axis and installed in the second use position to provide astation wagon style body. A compressible seal is mounted on the bodyflange and compressed between the body flange and the closure panelflange when the closure panel is installed, thus providing aweathertight joint. Appropriate releasable latches are provided tosecure the removable closure panel to the body.

One feature of the invention is that it provides a removable closurepanel for a vehicle body deck opening which may be selectively installedon the body in one use position to provide a coupe style body orinstalled on the body in a second use position to provide a stationwagon style body, the panel being rotatable 180 about a transverse axisbetween its use positions.

Another feature of the invention is a closure panel for a vehicle bodyrear deck opening which may be changed between coupe and station wagonbody styles manually without the aid of a motor.

Another feature of the invention is an opening in the rear deck of avehice body defined by a flange which is symmetrical about a transverseaxis therethrough and adapted for closure by a removable closure panelhaving a mating flange so that the panel may be rotated about atransverse axis between coupe and station wagon body styles.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the appended specification and drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a vehicle body embodyingthe invention with the removable closure panel shown installed in useposition providing a station wagon style body;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a motor vehicle embodyingthe invention and showing the removable closure panel installed in useposition providing a coupe body style;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the vehicle body taken in thedirection of arrows 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 4-4 ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 5-5 ofFIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a vehicle body is generally indicated at110. The vehicle body includes a roof structure 12, a left quarter panel14, a right quarter panel 16, and a filler panel 18 extendingtransversely between the panels 14 and 16. The roof 12, quarter panels14 and I6, and rear filler panel 18 include inwardly offset flangeswhich are joined to each other to provide a continuous inwardly offsetflange 20, FIG. 4, which defines an opening 22 in the rear deck of thevehicle body 10. The flange 20 is symmetrical about a transverse axis 28through the center of the opening 22 defined thereby. A resilient seal24 of rectangular cross section is mounted on flange 20.

A removable closure panel generally indicated at 30 is provided forclosure of the opening 22. The closure panel 30 is preferably of fiberglass or similar plastic construction and includes a deck panel 32,pillars 34 and 36, a backlite 38, sidelites 40 and 42, and a peripheralframe 44 which is joined to panel 32 and pillars 34 and 36. Frame 44includes an outwardly extending or lateral flange 46, and panel 32includes a like flange 48. The flanges 46 and 48 are contoured formating engagement with the seal 24 to provide a weathertight joint. Itis thus apparent that the flanges 46 and 48 are also symmetrical abouttransverse axis 28.

When the closure panel 30 is in the use position of FIG. I, it providesa station wagon type body style and increases the luggage capacity ofthe rear portion of the vehicle body 10. In this position, flanges 46and 48 have their lower surfaces seating on flange 20 as shown in fulllines in FIG. 4 and provide a smooth continuation of the roof, quarterpanels, and filler panel.

The closure panel 30 may be removed from the vehicle body 10, rotated180 about a transverse axis and reinstalled as shown in FIG. 2 toprovide a coupe body style. In this position of the closure panel, theupper surfaces of flanges 46 and 48 seat on flange 20 as shown in dashlines in FIG. 2. Inasmuch as the flanges 20, 46, and 48 are symmetricalabout the transverse axis 28, the closure panel 30 has a weathertightengagement with the seal 24 in either use position.

Appropriate attachment means is provided to secure the removable closurepanel 30 to the vehicle body 10. Referring to FIG. 5, such an attachmentmeans may advantageously consist of a lip 50 of the rear filler panel 18which cooperates with flange 20 to define a recess in which the flange46 of the closure panel 30 is received. Releasable conventionalovercenter type latches 52 are mounted on the roof structure 12 and whenengaged hold the flange 48 of the removable closure panel against thecompressible seal 22.

Thus it is seen that a removable closure panel is provided for a reardeck opening in a motor vehicle which may be removed and rotated 180about a transverse axis to convert between coupe and station wagon bodystyles.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having flange meansdefining an opening in the rear deck thereof, a closure panel havingflange means, the flange means on the body and the flange means of theclosure panel being symmetrical with respect to a transverse axisthrough their respective transverse centerlines and being sealinglyengageable with one another in one use position in which the closurepanel provides a first body style, the flange means of the closure panelbeing disengageable from the flange means on the body to permit removalof the closure panel, and the flange means of ing a rear deck openingdefined by offset inwardly extending flange means symmetrical about atransversely extending axis through the centerline of the opening, acontoured closure panel having peripheral outwardly extending flangemeans engageable with the offset inwardly extending flange means on thevehicle body, the contoured closure panel being installable in first useposition on the body to provide a coupe style body and installable in asecond use position upon removal and rotation about a transverse axis toprovide a station wagon style body.

3. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having an opening in therear deck thereof defined by an offset inwardly extending flangesymmetrical with respect to a transverse axis through the transversecenterline of the opening, and a closure panel having a peripheral frameand outwardly extending flange means on the peripheral frame symmetricalwith respect to a transverse axis therethrough, the closure panelincluding backlite and sidelites and being contoured to provide a coupestyle body when installed in a first use position in closure of of therear deck opening and a station wagon style body when installed in asecond use position subsequent to removal and rotation of the panel 180about the transverse axis.

1. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having flange meansdefining an opening in the rear deck thereof, a closure panel havingflange means, the flange means on the body and the flange means of theclosure panel being symmetrical with respect to a transverse axisthrough their respective transverse centerlines and being sealinglyengageable with one another in one use position in which the closurepanel provides a first body style, the flange means of the closure panelbeing disengageable from the flange means on the body to permit removalof the closure panel, and the flange means of the closure panel beingsealingly engageable with the flange means on the body in a second useposition subsequent to removal and rotation of the closure panel 180*from the one use position about the transverse axis to provide a secondbody style.
 2. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having a reardeck opening defined by offset inwardly extending flange meanssymmetrical about a transversely extending axis through the centerlineof the opening, a contoured closure panel having peripheral outwardlyextending flange means engageable with the offset inwardly extendingflange means on the vehicle body, the contoured closure panel beinginstallable in first use position on the body to provide a coupe stylebody and installable in a second use position upon removal and 180*rotation about a transverse axis to provide a station wagon style body.3. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having an opening in therear deck thereof defined by an offset inwardly extending flangesymmetrical with respect to a transverse axis through the transversecenterline of the opening, and a closure panel having a peripheral frameand outwardly extending flange means on the peripheral frame symmetricalwith respect to a transverse axis therethrough, the closure panelincluding backlite and sidelites and being contoured to provide a coupestyle body when installed in a first use position in closure of of therear deck opening and a station wagon style body when installed in asecond use position subsequent to removal and rotation of the panel 180*about the transverse axis.